Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search


Español  Other Languages


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People
 Search

		Submit


*Tips From Former Smokers* ®


Section Navigation
			
			CDC Home








About the Campaign						Español (Spanish)							Print
																Related Pages
										The Burden of Cigarette SmokingTobacco use is still the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States.
Cigarette smoking alone kills more than 480,000 Americans each year.1
16 million Americans are living with at least one serious smoking-related disease.1
For every person who dies because of smoking, at least 30 people live with a serious smoking-related illness.1
Unfortunately, an estimated 28.3 million adults in the United States still smoke cigarettes.2
Cigarette smoking cost the United States more than $600 billion in 2018, including more than $240 billion in healthcare spending and nearly $372 billion in lost productivity.1,3,4,5Learn more about how smoking and secondhand smoke affect specific groups.
On This Page
			The Burden of Cigarette SmokingReal People, Real Stories*Tips* Is For Everyone*Tips* Campaign Impact*Tips* Campaign Research*Tips* Campaign Goals*Tips* Campaign Key Messages*Tips* Campaign AudiencesWhat People Are Saying About *Tips*ReferencesReal People, Real StoriesThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the first-ever federally funded national tobacco education campaign—*Tips From Former Smokers*® (*Tips*®) – in March 2012.
The *Tips* campaign profiles real people from many different backgrounds impacted by serious long-term health effects from smoking and secondhand smoke exposure. *Tips* also features compelling stories of the toll these smoking-related conditions have taken on family members.
*Tips* ads focus on many health issues caused by, associated with, or made worse by smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke, including:
Asthma
Buerger’s disease
Cancer (colorectal, head and neck, kidney, lung, oral, and throat)
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Diabetes
Dual use (the current use of both cigarettes and another tobacco product)
Gum disease
Heart disease
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) complications
Mental health conditions (depression and anxiety)
Preterm birth
Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
Stroke
Vision loss and blindnessOn This Page
			The Burden of Cigarette SmokingReal People, Real Stories*Tips* Is For Everyone*Tips* Campaign Impact*Tips* Campaign Research*Tips* Campaign Goals*Tips* Campaign Key Messages*Tips* Campaign AudiencesWhat People Are Saying About *Tips*References
		
Free Quitting ResourcesTelephone
1-800-QUIT-NOW
1-855-DÉJELO-YA (Español)
1-800-838-8917 (中文)
1-800-556-5564 (한국어)
1-800-778-8440 (Tiếng Việt)Smartphone Apps/Text
Text QUITNOW to 333888—Message and data rates may apply
quitSTART appexternal iconWeb
Quit Smoking (En Español)
Smokefree.govexternal icon (En Español)
Asian Smokers’ Quitlineexternal iconTop of Page
*Tips* Is For EveryoneThe *Tips* campaign uses approaches to address health disparities in pursuit of health equity by increasing the reach, representation, receptivity, and accessibility of smoking cessation messages. *Tips* also increases awareness of free quit-smoking resources among adults—no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they make.
Specifically, the *Tips* campaign:
Develops evidence-based smoking cessation messages and includes people in the campaign that reflect the diversity of those suffering from smoking-related health conditions and experiences.
Places *Tips* ads on a variety of media channels to reach communities and groups with high levels of smoking and smoking-related diseases, including those populations who are disproportionally affected by tobacco use.
Partners with healthcare professionals so they can encourage their smoking patients to quit for good.
Makes *Tips* materials available for free or reduced cost to state and local health programs and community-based organizations.
Translates *Tips* information and resources into additional languages, uses culturally appropriate language, and creates materials that are accessible for people with disabilities.Top of Page*Tips* Campaign ImpactFrom 2012–2018, CDC estimates that more than 16.4 million people who smoke attempted to quit and approximately 1 million successfully quit because of the *Tips* campaign.6
To read published articles about the impact of the *Tips* campaign, please visit the *Tips* Impact and Results web page.Top of Page
*Tips* Campaign ResearchScientific studies have shown that hard-hitting media campaigns are effective in helping people quit smoking. Study results suggest that emotionally evocative tobacco education media campaigns featuring graphic images of the health effects of smoking can increase quitline calls and website visits, and that these campaigns’ effects decrease rapidly once they are discontinued.
The *Tips* campaign is based on an in-depth review of research conducted in multiple U.S. states and other countries, as well as extensive campaign development research and testing.
Through audience testing, we learned that most people who smoke already knew that cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke can cause death. But the fear of dying from smoking-related causes did not motivate people to take action to quit. What did motivate people to quit smoking was witnessing the difficulty of living with a chronic, long-term, and debilitating smoking-related disease and imagining how that could affect their families.Top of Page*Tips* Campaign GoalsBuild public awareness of the immediate health damage caused by smoking and secondhand smoke exposure.
Encourage adults who smoke to quit and make free help available.
Encourage adults who smoke not to smoke around others and encourage those who don’t smoke to protect themselves and their families from secondhand smoke exposure.*Tips* Campaign Key MessagesSmoking causes immediate damage to your body, which can lead to long-term health problems.
For every person who dies because of smoking, at least 30 people live with a serious smoking-related illness.
Now is the time to quit smoking. If you need help, free assistance is available by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW.*Tips* Campaign AudiencesThe primary audience for the campaign is adults ages 18 through 54 who smoke and who are of low socioeconomic status.
Secondary audiences include family members, healthcare professionals, and faith communities.Top of Page
What People Are Saying About *Tips*Woman
“I want to thank these wonderful and courageous and compassionate health heroes who have told us their true stories. Prayers for them. Love their message. Hope friends watching and who need help can learn from them. There is help out there and anyone can do it.”
­- Comment on Facebook @CDCTobaccoFreeWoman
“Yes! Good campaign, powerful messages for those that need to hear them! 👍🏼👍🏼 These commercials are what I was telling you about- I wish Mom could have seen these many YEARS ago, maybe they would have made a difference and encouraged her to quit smoking then!?”
– Comment on Facebook @CDCTobaccoFreeMan
“I want to tell you how effective the smoking commercials are. They have helped me stop smoking. Thank you very much.”
– Comment received through the *Tips* campaign email boxTop of Page
ReferencesU.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2014 [accessed 2022 Jan 12].
Cornelius ME, Loretan CG, Jamal A, et al. Tobacco Product Use Among Adults — United States, 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:475–483.
Xu X, Shrestha SS, Trivers KF, Neff L, Armour BS, King BA. S. Healthcare Spending Attributable to Cigarette Smoking in 2014. *Preventive Medicine*, 2021. Volume 150, 106529, ISSN 0091-7435 [accessed Feb 1 2022].
Shrestha SS, Ghimire R, Wang X, Trivers KF, Homa DM, Armour BS. Cost of Cigarette Smoking Attributable Productivity Losses, United States, 2018. Am J Prev Med 2022.
Max W, Sung HY, Shi Y. Deaths from secondhand smoke exposure in the United States: economic implications. American Journal of Public Health 2012;102(11): 2173–80.
Murphy-Hoefer R, Davis KC, King BA, Beistle D, Rodes R, Graffunder C. Association between the *Tips From Former Smokers*Campaign and Smoking Cessation Among Adults, United States, 2012–2018. Preventing Chronic Disease 2020;17:200052. [accessed 2022 Jan 12].Top of Page
							
					
							Last Reviewed:  February 5, 2024						Source: 	Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
					Facebook
        Twitter
        LinkedIn
        Syndicate home*Tips From Former Smokers* ®
About the Campaignplus icon
Frequently Asked Questions
*Tips* Impact and Resultsplus icon
Publications and Evaluation Results
Burden of Cigarette Use in the U.S.
How to Quit Smokingplus icon
5 Ways Quitlines Helpplus icon
Top 10 Qs about Quitlines
National Texting Portal
quitSTART App
7 Common Withdrawal Symptoms
Tips For Quitting
Learn About Quit Smoking Medicinesplus icon
Three Reasons to Use Medicines When You Quitplus icon
They make quitting less painful
Quit smoking medicines are much safer than smoking
They help you get through the toughest times
How Quit Smoking Medicines Work
Quit Smoking Medicinesplus icon
Nicotine Patch
Nicotine Lozenge
Nicotine Gum
Nicotine Oral Inhaler
Nicotine Nasal Spray
Combining Medicines
Varenicline
Bupropion SR
Getting Coaching with Medicine
Quitting without Medicine
Five New Ways to Quit with Medicines
Six Quick Tipsplus icon
Medicine Tips Just for You
Why Quitting Smoking Is Hard
Quitting Storiesplus icon
Betty’s Story
Daniel’s Story
Select-Lot Varenicline Recall
Real Stories
Diseases/Conditions Featured in the Campaignplus icon
Asthma
Buerger’s Disease
Cancer
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Diabetes
Dual Use of Tobacco Products
Gum (Periodontal) Disease
Smoking and Heart Disease, Stroke and Peripheral Artery Disease
HIV
Mental Health Conditions: Depression and Anxiety
Pregnancy
Vision Loss and Blindness
For Specific Groupsplus icon
All Groups (General Public)
People With Disabilities
African American People
American Indian and Alaska Native People
Asian American People
Caregivers
Hispanic and Latino People
People Living with HIV
LGBTQ+ People
Military Service Members and Veterans
People With Mental Health Conditions
Pregnant or Planning to Have a Baby
Partnersplus icon
Faith-Based Organizations
Organizations Serving Military Members and Veteransplus icon
Media Outreach Toolkit
Organizations Serving Public Housing Residents
Campaign Resourcesplus icon
Social Media Content
Videos
Feature
Images and Photos
Print Ads
Motivational Cards
Newsroomplus icon
Matte Articlesplus icon
*Tips* Campaign for the General Public
*Tips* Campaign for African American Communities
*Tips* Campaign for American Indian / Alaska Native Communities
*Tips* Campaign for Asian American Communities
*Tips* Campaign for Faith Communities
*Tips* Campaign for Hispanic/Latino Communities
*Tips* Campaign for LGBTQ+ Community
*Tips* Campaign for People With Mental Health Conditions
*Tips* Campaign for Military Members/Veterans To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: Email Address                        
What's this                                     
Submit
 Smoking & Tobacco Use
Smokefree.govexternal icon
National Cancer Instituteexternal icon


About CDC
					Contact Us
					800-232-4636
 Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Pinterest Snapchat
 CONTACT CDC
				Contact Us
							Call 800-232-4636
							Email Us
			ABOUT CDC
				About CDC
							Jobs
							Funding
			POLICIES
				Accessibility
							External Links
							Privacy
							Policies
							No Fear Act
							FOIA
							OIG
							Nondiscrimination
							Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			CONNECT WITH US
				Facebook
								Twitter
								Instagram
								LinkedIn
							Youtube
								Pinterest
								Snapchat
								Email
			LANGUAGES
				Español
							繁體中文
							Tiếng Việt
							한국어
							Tagalog
							Русский
							العربية
							Kreyòl Ayisyen
							Français
							Polski
							Português
							Italiano
							Deutsch
							日本語
							فارسی
							English


U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
			Accessibility
			External Links
			Privacy
			Policies
			No Fear Act
			FOIA
			Nondiscrimination
			OIG
			Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			USA.gov


Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy Close
 Links with this icon  indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
				Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
				You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
				CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Website Disclaimers
 Cancel Continue